In this first course of the College's General Education Insight Program, students employ the differing lenses of history, science, religions, literature, and art to begin a four-year journey exploring, from various viewpoints, what it means to be human. Using the rich resources of multiple perspectives and theories, students gain a "bird's eye view" of the human condition. This context serves as a provisional horizon against which, in subsequent courses in the Insight Program, individuals look more deeply at the significant particulars of the human condition in contemporary times. The course work in the first semester consists of three units: Cosmos (considering the human place in space and time), Bios (examining the remarkable phenomenon of life), and Homo sapiens (tracing the emergence and early experience of the human species). The second semester focuses on the historical experience of the human species: Civitas (the age of civilizations), Modernity (the developments emanating from Europe in the sixteenth century of the modern era), and Post-Modernity (the contemporary moment). Through this exploration, students develop and enhance competencies in core skills essential to flourishing in the contemporary world, especially in professional life. The course is designed with a strong emphasis on reading, writing, critical thinking, and collaborative learning. Offered each year. 3 credits each